Babymoon Part 3: Outside Athens

Timmy and I love to get outside of big cities and feel like we truly experience the culture of a country when we immerse ourselves in rural life. So after our one touristy day in Athens, we were more than ready to get out and see the surrounding countryside! 

 
We spent one day taking a ferry to a nearby Greek island. The island of Aegina wasn’t quite what we expected, but Tim enjoyed driving down narrow, uneven country roads in an old rickety jeep and getting lost and I enjoyed eating fresh pistachios and seeing olive groves bump by… but I especially enjoyed the ferry ride with air conditioning and a strawberry slushy. 

We spent the rest of our trip in a little seaside village, Napflion. Our hotel was luxurious and cozy, hugging the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Our time in Napflion was relaxing, and we purposely only planned one major activity for each day. 

One day we drove to the ruins of an ancient theater in Epidaurus. Tim enjoyed climbing on high walls and I enjoyed photographing a Greek dandelion and meeting a Grecian lizard. 

We also accidentally drove up a mountain and were astounded by the gorgeous views. 

The best, most exciting part of our stay in Napflion may have been the first day we discovered a little gelato shop that also carried sorbet – sorbet is dairy free! We visited that shop many more times before we left three days later.

Another day was spent visiting a ruined fortress that once boasted huge walls hundreds of feet tall and fifteen feet deep! 

It was also our “beach day” but the weather was rainy, so we just drove for several hours on a winding road that clung to the cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Greece is gorgeous when it’s raining, and the air feels steamy and fresh. I didn’t get my day of splashing in the sea, but we did make sure to at least put our toes in for a picture.

(top left: the Bema, bottom left: the Christian church)
 
On our way back to Athens we stopped at Ancient Corinth and got a glimpse of the city we hear so much about in 1st and 2nd Corinthians. It was insanely exciting to walk down old streets, full of history – the same streets the Apostle Paul traveled. We got to see the building that was the Christian church (!!) and also the Bema, where Paul pled his case before the Corinthians and Roman rulers.

Our last night in Greece was spent at the Sofitel Athens, a luxurious hotel located IN THE AIRPORT. That is possibly the most genius idea ever, and it worked perfectly for us as we had to catch a 6AM flight the following morning. 

Up next… Switzerland! 

Some Baby Name Hints...

Baby Boy First Name Hints:

Ends in a consonant.
Has many extra special reasons behind why we chose it.
Has more than one syllable.

Baby Boy Middle Name Hints:

Isn’t any of Tim’s names (Timothy Bray).
Belongs to one of our favorite people.

Baby Girl First Name Hints:

Ends in a vowel.
Passes the “must look pretty” written test.
Isn't a Bible name, but has a beautiful, godly meaning.
 

Baby Girl Middle Name Hints:

Isn’t any of Becki’s names (Rebecca Beatrice).
Belongs to one of our favorite people.

Can you tell that I don’t want you to guess the first names, but I’m willing to let you figure out the middle names?

I honestly flip flop back and forth between wanting a BOY (gasp! It’s true!) so that I can name him our beautiful boy name, and wanting a GIRL so that we can name her our darling girl name. I love them both and have written them out a million zillion times, over and over... everywhere.

So, if you want to figure out what I’m naming my baby, just dig around in my notebooks, planner, or garbage can. You’d definitely find the answer there…

Twenty Nine.

Baby Love is over 15 inches long this week,
kinda like a loaf of sourdough bread.
 

This week, in our birth class, we learned how to have the baby in a car. You know, just in case everything moves so quickly we don’t have time to get to the birth center. I think - and I may be mistaken - but I truly think that, judging from the thrill of excitement in his eyes, Timmy thinks this birth option would be a pretty great adventure. Not me!

My sweet coworkers threw us a baby shower this week. Timmy joined the fun and enjoyed meeting the people I work with, eating double chocolate vegan cupcakes (from the Daisy Café and Cupcakery – YUM!), and helping me open a stack of beautifully wrapped gifts. We were definitely spoiled and completely overwhelmed with everyone’s generosity. Wash cloths, burp cloths, clothes, swaddle blankets… and more. They even bought me the pink bath tub I had registered for. (What? Pink matches my bathroom...)

I went home that night and just slowly examined each treasure, rubbed my hands on the soft onesies, twirled the swaddle blankets in my fingers, and really, truly, nearly cried when pulling out a hooded towel with “I love my Daddy” embroidered on the top.

I don’t know if Baby Love will have my eyes or my complexion, and I have no idea what personality traits we will share. (Judging from her enthusiastic bouncing in my tummy, she will have her father’s energy.) But, I do know that we already have one thing in common. 

Both of us adore this guy named Tim O’Brien with all our hearts. 

She’ll call him “Daddy” and I’ll call him “Hot Stuff”
and he’ll make sure our lives are never boring.
(Let’s just hope her life doesn’t start in the backseat of our car!)

Mini Vegan Donuts.

One day Mrs. O’Brien mused wistfully to Mr. O’Brien that she truly craved a delicious donut. But alas, all available donuts contained milk, something Becki could not consume. There was, in one of her cookbooks, a recipe for vegan donuts, but it required a special donut pan and she had no earthly idea of where to find such a thing. 

Mr. O’Brien declared with great gusto, “We shall find a donut pan and you shall feast on vegan donuts tonight!” So the search began. They set off and tried all the locations they could possibly think of, tirelessly searching for several hours, but had absolutely no luck. 

Becki was ready to give up completely and turned her thoughts to finding a picture frame for the baby’s nursery at a retail establishment called Saver’s. As she was examining the second hand treasures in the frame aisle, Timmy tripped off to the kitchen section in one last valiant effort to find a donut pan. Mr. O’Brien does not accept defeat without a fight. Moments later he came bounding around the corner with great glee, clutching the most adorable MINI donut pan they had ever encountered. And for only $3, the price was perfect. Fate was truly smiling down on them. 

The happy couple couldn’t believe their good fortune and went straight home to bake Becki’s desired vegan donuts. The end result was a batch of deliciously delightful itty bitty donuts, dipped in vegan chocolate and dotted with bright sprinkles. 

It has been rumored that they ate the entire batch of mini donuts
in one night.

Two Years.

Husband,

 
June is our month. During the eleven long months between its end and its beginning, June whispers of romantic memories and dances with impatience, eagerly waiting on the sixth calendar page… waiting for our arrival. For us to be back here again. In June. We are welcomed with bright blue skies and glowing green grasses. Warm air infused with irresistible sunshine and recollections of why we adore June so. Because it’s beautiful to be in love in June. And because to be married in June is to join hearts in the sunburst of summer, at the height of earth’s happiness… when the birds kiss the air and butterflies swarm in brilliant bunches around dew filled flowers. The earth celebrates with you, when you’re married in June. Radiance of new growth is at it’s peak… the tree leaves will never be a more precisely perfect shade of green and the sky explodes with blue hues unlike anything you could ever find anywhere else but in June.

 
It was in June that I first loved you, in June that I first kissed you, and in June that I first called you mine. June remembers. And so do we.

We greet June with knowing smiles, nodding our heads to its yearly welcome, tipping our hats to its sunny salutations. Hearts bursting with the overflow of a past year’s love, minds reeling with ever increasing memories, and lips kissing one year better than the last.

We’ll always celebrate in June, because June is the best month of all. It is good, so good, to be two years married.  

But only because I married YOU, 

two years ago… in June. Happy Anniversary, my darling. 

 

Happy Father's Day!

 Dad with his girlies, 1990

My Dad carries with him feelings of love and protection. He is stronger, sillier, and smarter than anyone I know, and his arms have always been my coziest place of safety. My Dad is "Father" personified, and his strong example as a father, husband, and leader is an illustration of His faith in our Heavenly Father.

Dad, Liz, & Bea, 1989

When I was a little girl, my Dad would wake me up early - before my mom and sisters - and the two of us would snuggle in his green armchair, reading books and watching the news. It was our special time of just-us-two moments, and cozy memories of those long-ago snuggle fests still cling to my heart in sweet remembrance.

 Father's Day, 1991

Dad has a special way of making others feel especially special. I've always known I was loved, and my earliest memories consist of strong arms holding me close, a deep voice singing silly songs in my ears, and a complete sense of belonging. His love for me is unconditional and whole, without a tinge of expectation.

My Dad is someone you can trust. He is honest and brave and responsible. He takes such good care of his family.

Dad and his girlies, 1997

Dad can fix anything and make anything. He is clever and smart, and he knows almost everything. If he doesn't know something, he learns it. He has taught us to be motivated and eager to try new things. He has given us the gift of knowing that anything is possible and nothing is too hard to figure out ourselves. He is the most motivated person I know, with a drive to make the most of every moment.

It is probably not possible to be with Dad for more than ten minutes without smiling. He entertains us endlessly with silly songs, funny voices, and ridiculous jokes. Many family dinners have consisted of non-stop giggles as my sisters and I, convinced he's the funniest person alive, laugh and laugh. Just because he's our favorite and all of us girlies adore him completely.

Dad & Bea, 2009

My Dad is unlike anyone else in the world 

and more worthy than anyone to be called my hero. 

Happy Father's Day, Daddy! 

We love you!

Twenty Eight.

Baby Love is 14.8 inches long this week, 

about the size of a… *bottle of grapefruit juice.

Yesterday Tim and I had a conversation that went like this, “Oh Babe… I’m just getting a little uncomfortable… and lately Baby Love has been hooking her little toes under my right rib and kicking and it’s just really bothering me…” to which Timmy responded, “Really?! THAT’S AMAZING! I’m so excited! That’s the first time you said the baby was making you uncomfortable! That means we’re getting close to the end.” To which I responded, “Yes. Amazing.”

 
I like being married to Timmy because he gives me amazing perspective on life. Truly, feeling the baby hang like a bat from my ribcage IS AMAZING. The fact that I have a healthy little 28 week old baby IS AMAZING. The fact that we have less than twelve weeks left until my due date IS AMAZING.

Amazing is the only way to look at it, because if I dwell on the negative parts (bruised ribs, getting woken up in the middle of the night by a swift kick, etc.) then I totally lose the amazingness of being pregnant and this period of pregnancy is SO fleeting in the grand scheme of life.

While we’re talking about amazing things, I should mention that we’ve started taking natural birth classes – and they’re amazing. The more I learn about giving birth, the calmer I feel and the more I’m certain that bringing this baby into the world is going to be an AMAZING experience. 

In conclusion, we’re all amazing at the O’Brien house. Tim, Becki, and Baby Love are happy and thriving in a state of amazed happiness.  

*It's getting harder and harder to find fruits and veggies the right size. And despite my amazing state, this week was exhausting and when it came time to take our weekly photo... grapefruit juice was the only 14 inch thing in my fridge that wouldn't require a trip to the grocery store. 

The End of an Era…

Way back when Timmy and I started dating, about three months into our relationship, he opened a café at Harbor Athletic Club. It was originally named “EN Organic Smoothie Bar” and it was Tim’s very first business venture. He was so proud, and I was so proud of him. The café was a success from the start, and six months after first opening, Tim quit his full time job to work at the cafe full time. He worked many 60-70 hour weeks, and I spent many hours perched on a stool at the café, keeping him company and eating lots of smoothies. Our dating relationship progressed with EN Organic Smoothie Bar as the backdrop of our romance. Tim even created and named a smoothie after me – “Bea Berry” – because I ate so many of them.

After we got married, I used my graphic design skills to give the café a much-needed facelift, and we renamed it Apple Café in anticipation of our opening Apple Wellness. You can see my documentation of the process here.

  When we began to work toward opening Apple Wellness, Tim cut back his hours at the café, hiring a manger to replace him. When Apple Wellness opened in June 2010, Tim stepped away from the café completely and ran Apple Wellness full time. 

Of course there were still things for him to do with the café, payroll, grocery runs, and accounting, and I still created sale flyers and different design pieces, but our focus had shifted to something new.
Then in December, we got pregnant and our lives began to seem a little too complicated. We debated trying to sell the café, but I think both of us were too emotionally attached to really consider it as an option. Eventually, after months of pondering and praying, we felt it was best to sell the café and simplify our lives. We sold the café in May, and Apple Café’s last day was today, June 16^th.
It was bittersweet to clear out the space and make room for a new owner with a new name. I found myself tearing up as I realized I would never again perch on the stool at Apple Café and watch Timmy make smoothies. 

Apple Café was our first business and, thanks to God, it was a success. We were blessed to begin it, blessed to run it, and blessed to sell it. I can’t say I’ll miss late night shopping trips to Sam’s Club, but I will miss something I can’t quite put my finger on. Perhaps it’s the past and the realization that our dating years are getting further away and Apple Café was a small remaining tie to the days when I was Becki Davison and I would pop over to the café after work to visit my boyfriend and get a free smoothie… 

30 Months "Engaged"

 *30 Month Anniversary Roses from Timmy*

Last night...

 
Timmy: Tomorrow we will have been "engaged" for 30 months... Happy 30 Months of being "engaged" babe!

 
Me: *falling asleep and thinking how happy I am to be with this guy who remembers the anniversary of the day we got engaged* ...mmm...happy...

Happy is one word that sums me up quite nicely right now. (Tired was a close second, but it's happier to be happy than tired, so happy won.)

Twenty Seven.

Baby Love is 14.5 inches long this week, 

about the size of a pineapple.

Baby Love’s movements have become more pronounced, graduating from little flutters to strong pushes. I love to stare at my belly, watching her little movements roll across my skin.

I have been much hotter than usual these days, thanks to my little built-in heater. For the first time in my life, I’m the “hot one” at meetings and events, fanning myself desperately with pieces of paper and books. I've been especially tired this week. So tired that these pictures almost didn't happen.

And I realize that this pineapple is a bit larger than 14.5 inches. But, when I saw it in the produce section, I immediately wanted to eat it, so... pineapple it is!

Three Years.

 

When I first moved to Madison I lived at an apartment complex less than a mile from Tim’s house.

The first night we met at a young adult gathering, he completely ignored me and I thought he was just too cool to talk to me. I told my sister about this super cool energetic guy who was “definitely not a potential husband”.

Two months after first meeting him, I found myself at his house for a Superbowl party. I couldn’t stop thinking about how badly his white walls needed painting.

The second time he spoke to me was because he accidentally ran into me (literally) at a party and said, “Oh, I didn’t see you there. What’s your name?”

It took Timmy three months of repeatedly asking me my name for him to actually remember it. Finally, he stored it in his cell phone and used it as “notes” for whenever he saw me.

Once he was able to remember my name, I stopped feeling irritated with him and started realizing how amazing he was (is). But I didn’t like him romantically at all.

Because there were several “Tims” that I knew, my nickname for Timmy was “Bouncy Tim” and I would constantly relate hilarious stories about him to my family.

The first time Rynn met Timmy she said, “You should marry Bouncy Tim!” I told her that whoever Bouncy Tim married would be an extra special girl and I certainly did NOT think that would be ME.

I really liked talking to Tim and found myself seeking him out at gatherings. He kept me laughing with his silly stories and I genuinely enjoyed his company.

Tim says he loved talking to me because he made me laugh so hard. He also says that he became enamored with “the cutest girl” he had ever met and he was constantly surprised at my “sweet little sayings” and “complete purity”. (His interpretation of me makes me sound a little like a Disney princess.)

Timmy liked me first. God told him I was the girl for him while he was at a dinner party at my house. I briefly wondered why he made so much eye contact that night, but had no idea it was because he was looking at me as his future wife.

My parents met Tim when I was moving into a new apartment and my friends offered to help. My Dad told me afterward, “You should like that Bouncy Tim. I like him a lot.”

The first time I realized he might like me was at the movies with a group of friends. He “happened” to sit right next to me and during the movie he shifted his arm so that *gasp* our arms were touching!!! I remember telling my mom that I really didn’t think Tim was the kind of guy to touch a girl’s arm without good reason. (Haha!)

I became fairly certain that he liked me when our group of friends went laser tagging and Tim spent his entire time chasing me into corners and shooting me.

Tim decided to paint his house and he asked me to pick out the colors. I was completely oblivious at the time, but he later told me that he knew I would be living there someday and that’s why he wanted me to choose them. I was trying to impress him and chose “manly” colors - blue and grey – not colors I would have chosen for MY house. (We started dating two weeks later.)

I first realized that I was going to marry Tim while I was praying at a worship gathering. As I was praying, he stood up and started reading Psalm 16. Suddenly I just knew. (Psalm 16 was the Scripture reading at our wedding.)

I was happy to trust God and accept that Tim was the guy for me because I had been able to get to know him slowly over six months. I realized that he was a man of great character and he met all of my hardest requirements on my list of qualities I wanted my future husband to have: he didn't like to watch TV or play video games, he wasn't a sports fanatic, he wasn't a drinker/smoker, he made me laugh, he wanted to homeschool his kids someday, and he was interested in being healthy. (I made this list when I was 18 and many guys didn't get a second glance thanks to their failure to meet one of these requirements.)

The night before he asked me out we were at a worship gathering with our group of friends. As I was leaving he stuffed a fake purple flower into my hand and said, “I want you to have this.” I got out to the car and said to my friend, “Tim O’Brien just gave me a flower…”

Timmy told me he had "taken a shining" to me and asked me to “court unto marriage” after an evening church service. After explaining that he didn’t want to kiss me until our wedding day he paused and said, “Oh. I guess I should ask if YOU like ME?” I said yes.

That first night we started “courting” Timmy asked me where I wanted to travel the most. I responded with Ireland and Paris, and at that moment our honeymoon was planned. Almost exactly one year later, we were married.

On June 8, 2008 I had no idea where my relationship with Timmy would take me. I get a little overwhelmed when I think of all the beautiful, good things that have unfolded over the last three years. My life is full and I am happier now than I have ever been in my entire life. The funny thing is, I thought the same thing three years ago… two years ago… and last year, too.

My capacity for joy seems to be ever expanding
as this life of mine gets better and better.

Greece: Day One - Athens!

Since we flew into the Athens airport at 12AM and finally got to our hotel at 2AM, my first true glimpse of Greece was Sunday morning. We stepped out of our hotel room into a crowded street smothered with extreme heat and extreme sunlight. The air felt electric, surging with currents of sweltering warmth. We bought tickets for a “hop on, hop off” bus tour (our favorite way to see cities) and began our “touristy day”. The big red tour bus took us all around Athens, stopping at The Temple of Zeus, the National Gardens, the Olympic stadium, the Acropolis and Parthenon, and more. 

The bus would stop, and we would hop off, excited to explore each stop. We walked and wandered and climbed all over Athens that morning. The landscape was so arid and the air was so hot, even in the shaded gardens.

After assessing the situation and my swollen feet (thanks to the heat and pregnancy), we wisely took a break mid-day to return to our hotel room and rest. After a cool shower and quick nap we set out for the Acropolis. Of course, like everything in Greece, reaching the Acropolis required a long walk up many, many stairs. (My poor feet!) Once we reached the top, the views of Athens were stunning. 

We spent a long time wandering around the gorgeous ruins, taking in the detailed architecture and marveling at the history found in a place like this. In America, our oldest buildings are brand new compared to ancient buildings created in 500 B.C.! If you look closely at the columns, they are actually huge circular disks stacked on top of each other. Incredible.

Day One ended with dinner at street café. I had the only thing I could eat on the menu, a Greek Salad: tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and basil mixed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. (This would prove to be the first of many. Greek Salads were just about the only thing I could ever find to eat for the entire vacation. I’m surprised I can still face a cucumber…)